Auto Roundup

10.06.2011

With fall here and winter fast approaching, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is sending out notices and recalls that pertain to slippery travels.

200,000 Jeep Liberty SUVs from the 2004 to 2005 model years are being investigated due to complaints of failure to the left or right rear lower control arm cause by excessive corrosion. All of the complaints come from states like Michigan, Ohio, New York, and Pennsylvania that use salt to melt ice and snow on their roads. Chrysler say there have been no reports of accidents or injuries, but 95 warranty claims have resulted from corrosion issues.

Also recalling vehicles due to rust and corrosion is Subaru. They’re recalling the 2002-2007 Impreza, 2003-2008 Forester, and the 2005-2006 Saab 9-2x due to complaints of front lower control arms breaking at hanger brackets. The issue is also corrosion caused by road salt. Owners can expect to be notified by early November.

And in other news, Toyota has announced the pricing for their new plug-in Prius looks like driving greener is going to cost a lot more green. Toyota says the 2012 Prius PHEV will start at $32,760, higher than what was initially expected. A fully loaded Prius Plug-in is priced at $40,285.

The Prius PHEV with its more expensive lithium-ion battery is priced over $8,000 higher than a comparable standard Prius. But, it’s still some $8,000 less than the Chevrolet Volt, and about $3,000 less than the all-electric Nissan Leaf. However, both the Volt and Leaf qualify for a $7,500 federal tax credit, while the Prius PHEV with a smaller battery only qualifies for a credit of $2,500. So, with tax credits, the plug-in Prius price is about $2,000 higher than the Leaf and about $3,000 lower than a Volt. The government rates the Prius PHEV all-EV range at 15 miles compared to 35 for the Volt and 73 for the Leaf.